Reunion - A Beer For Hope 2008

a light amber pour with a medium size head. sweet malt aroma. flavors of toasted rye molding with a sweeter carmel malt and light earthy notes. light bitterness in the finish with a hint of warmth. definately enjoyable and for a great cause as well.

Bottle from Bevmo in Solana Beach. This beer pours a ruby-brown color with a thin and fizzy off-white head that burns away quickly. Spotty lacing on the glass. Aroma of grain, malt and acetone. Light-bodied with flavors of malt, perfumed hops and paint thinner. The finish is grainy and malty with an astringent finish. Not very enjoyable at all.

Clear umber color with a small taupe head that diminishes quickly to just a ring around the glass and a few streaks of bubbles in a reef formation. Earthy malt aromas along with some grassy hops. HInts of light spice and apricots also in the nose. Just not a clean and inspiring scent. Big fruity and malty flavors surge the mouth. Flavors of melon, apricots and raisins mix with dark caramel and sweet licorice. Middle has some herbal hops. Dry earthy hops in the finish along with some white pepper and allspice (perhaps it’s the caraway). Fairly hot feeling in the finish and linger. A bit rough and unbalanced.

Pours reddish bronze with an off-white head. The aroma has unrefined grain and malt that smells much lighter than it looks. There are some odd things with the aroma that unfortunately escape how to explain, it is a bit odd. it is medium grainy bodied that is a bit smooth with some semi-sharp carbonation. The flavor starts with a raw grain taste, dry caramel, dry rye and spicy hops. the finish is hoppy and dry with a touch of staleness. An okay beer.

30-Apr-08 (22-oz bottle: Purchased 05-Apr-08 for $4.79 at BevMo in La Jolla, CA) Every bottle I tried of last year’s release was infected, so I’m already having better luck with this year’s release. The nose is very malty, toasty, sweet and caramely and is reminiscent of walking into a homebrew shop. The grassy and floral hops set a significant tone of green weediness in the aroma and flavor that isn’t exactly objectionable, but just doesn’t seem right. The "green" flavor is especially noticeable in the finish. Malts offer notes of sweet caramel up front and toasty rye in the evolution, with a fairly prominent dusty character in the finish. Rye is also evident by the substantial chewiness. Carbonation is medium. With such a full-bodied and malty beer, the hoppy flavor and bitterness in the finish help to cleanse the palate and break up the heaviness for continued drinkability, an important factor when trying to drink an entire 22-oz bottle in one sitting. Amber-brown in color with very good clarity, but unfortunately, the heading is quite small on the pour and fades to a thin ring fairly quickly while leaving no lacing. The weediness of this beer will prevent me from buying another one, but I have to say I still enjoyed this beer.